New Thai Army Commander visits Pattani

The new Royal Thai Army Commander has paid a visit to the troubled southern region. He’s met with local security agencies who met with him at Sirindhorn Camp in Pattani province, as well as meeting with religious leaders in an effort to continue the peace initiatives undertaken by his predecessor.

Royal Thai Army Commander Gen Apirat Kongsompong has led a delegation to review the work of agencies operating in the southern region, starting the visit with a meeting at the Internal Security Operations Commander Center Region 4 Forward Command headquarters in Sirindhorn Camp of Pattani province.

The delegation was received by the Region 4 Army Commander, Region 9 Provincial Police Commander and the governors of Songkhla, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. Religious leaders and Islamic council members from Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat were also invited to the discussions.

Gen Apirat revealed after the meeting, which highlighted his first visit to the south as army commander, that he had issued policies continuing the work of his predecessor Gen Chalermchai Sittisat.

He said Gen Chalermchai’s policies were strong while adding that violent incidents in the south must be better categorised as they stem from different reasons such as narcotics dealing, general crime and personal issues.

The commander pointed out that once listed according to cause, it can be seen that separatist activity has reduced. He commended police and the cooperation of religious leaders for their hand in resolving regional conflict.

Southern insurgency: Ranger shot dead in Songkhla house

FILE PHOTO: The latest shooting in a spate of recent violence in the southern provinces – The Nation

A ranger based in Yala has been shot dead at his home in Songkhla’s Muang district.

Pol Capt Adirek Burintrapibal, the deputy inspector of Muang Songkhla police station, was alerted at 8.30pm last night of the shooting at a house in Moo 10 village in Tambon Pawong.

The Nation reports that 43 year old Charoen Moraphan died when a bullet hit him in the left side of his chest.

His wife, Khiew, says she was at the back of the house while Charoen was watching TV in the living room facing towards the front door. She says her husband was on leave from his Yala ranger base for two weeks.

Police claim a gunman inserted a gun barrel through the front door and opened fire at Charoen, hitting him once in the chest.

Police are yet to identify the motive for the killing, the latest in a spate of violence in the southern provinces.

50+ motorbike taxi drivers blockade southern border

50 Thai motorcycle taxi drivers have set up a blockade at the Thai-Malaysian border checkpoint to protest what they allege are unworkable, stricter immigration checks now imposed by Malaysian immigration officials.

The taxi drivers say they have been bringing Thai tourists across the border in Songkhla’s Sadao district to the duty-free shops in Malaysia’s Padang Besar for years.

The border crossing process has been tightened in recent months by requiring production of a valid passport instead of border passes as was the case in the past. But many Thai motorcycle taxi drivers do not have passports and say the new restrictions are overly restrictive and an alternative solution should be accommodated.

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